I bet everyone saw that four-homer Scooter Gennett game coming, right? He became just the 17th player in MLB history to accomplish the feat, and the last to do it since Josh Hamilton (2012). Entering the game, Gennett had just three home runs on the season and last hit one on April 11th. Baseball is a funny game.
Historic accomplishment or not, it probably won’t change Gennett’s future playing time a whole lot. He’s gotten some run lately with Scott Schebler hobbled, but Schebler is expected to return in a few days, which more than likely puts Gennett back on the bench. Nevertheless, he’s a got a nice YouTube video to show the grandchildren some day.
Here’s a rundown of the latest fantasy relevant news from around the league.
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Jean Segura Optimistic About Return From DL
Over the weekend, Segura went on the DL with a high ankle sprain and initially was expected to miss up to two months. He’s reportedly already feeling better, so he could beat that prognosis, but this is still at the very least a multi-week injury that should keep him out for most of June. Following a breakout 2016 campaign, Segura was in the midst of a fine 2017 prior to the injury, hitting .341/.391/.462 with four dingers and seven stolen bases. He’s unlikely to match the 20 homers he put up last year — he had just 23 in the three previous seasons combined — but another 20-plus swiped bags should be doable if he isn’t hampered by the ankle injury.
In the meantime, his injury opens up time for Taylor Motter, who to-date has done his best Segura-lite impression with six homers and seven stolen bases off a .222/.294/.405 line. The average is underwhelming but could improve given his low .250 BABIP. His power/speed contributions should make him a reasonable stop-gap options for those looking for middle infield help in deep leagues.
Uncertain Timetable for Eduardo Rodriguez
Another player out for a while is Rodriguez, who was having a breakout season prior to suffering a knee injury during warm-ups last week. Initial reports indicated he would be shut down for 3-to-4 weeks, but manager John Farrell insisted there is still no timetable. In any case, don’t expect him to return anytime soon, as the Red Sox will surely be careful with their young pitcher. In 2017, he has a 3.54 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 26.3% strikeout rate — all career-bests. He’s worth holding onto where possible until we’re given a clearer picture of his recovery timeframe.
Brian Johnson, who is recovering from a hamstring injury himself, is expected to take his rotation spot. Johnson has a 2.57 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in his two major league starts this season and has also been solid in Triple-A. His only other major league start came in 2015, though, and he isn’t considered an elite prospect, so he’s more of an AL-only play, at best.
Odubel Herrera is Alive Again
Following a truly abysmal May in which he had just a .191 wOBA, Herrera has re-emerged over his last four games, hitting .529 with two bombs, seven doubles, and nine RBIs. Owners who stuck with him are probably breathing a sigh of relief, while those who dropped him are probably wondering where the heck his was for the last month. It’s once again a reminder that outside of shallow leagues with deep free agent pools, it’s best to show patience with your draft picks. Of course, it’s only a handful of games, so don’t get carried away, and he still has ways to go to improve his .243/.283/.405 line. But he’s settled into the two-hole for the Philadelphia Phillies, and should once again be a solid power/speed combo the rest of the way. If he’s still available in any leagues, you should snag him while you can.
Domingo Santana Getting Moved Up in the Order
Santana is swinging a hot bat for the Milwaukee Brewers and has been rewarded with starts out of the two-hole in three of the last four games. With Jonathan Villar struggling, the Brewers are regularly juggling their lineup to find the right mix, and Santana could be one of the beneficiaries. A popular sleeper entering the season, he’s filling up the stat sheet, batting .274 with 33 runs, 10 homers, 32 RBIs and five stolen bases. He’s always had a high BABIP, and this year is no exception (.345), but he’s still striking out 27.1% of the time, so a slight decline in average is likely in the long run. But as long as he’s playing well, and hitting high in the order, he should provide solid all-around production for his owners, and is worth a look in shallow leagues where available.
Jacob Faria Makes Debut
Faria is slated to make his major league debut against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, and at the very least has some streaming appeal in deep leagues. Through 11 Triple-A starts, Faria has a fine-looking 3.07 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 34.7% strikeout rate. That’s 84 punchouts in 58 2/3 innings, folks. Against a White Sox team that has an 81 wRC+ and 23.6% strikeout rate against righties, it’s about as nice a spot as Faria could ask for. With Matt Andriese slated to return, it could just be a spot start, so don’t go crazy, but there’s a ton of upside for those looking to speculate.
Don’t Forget About Greg Bird
This is a friendly reminder that Bird should be back from the DL with the New York Yankees next week. He had an awful .100/.250/.200 line prior to his ankle injury, but some of that can be blamed on a .135 BABIP, and he still had a 42.1% hard-hit rate. It’s worth remembering that in 2015 he hit 11 bombs in just 178 plate appearances. Based on potential alone, he’s worth a stash in deep formats.
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Kenyatta Storin is a featured writer with FantasyPros. For more from Kenyatta, check out his archive and follow him @kenyattastorin.